Verbena plant named ‘Sunmariapri’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Sunmariapri’, characterized by its compact, semi-upright, mounding to cascading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; apricot pink-colored flowers that gradually fade to a lighter pink color; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Verbena×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNMARIAPRI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbenaplant, botanically known as Verbena×hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Sunmariapri’.

The new Verbena plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of aproprietary selection of Verbena×hybrida identified as code number1800M, not patented. The new Verbena plant was discovered and selectedby the Inventor on a single flowering plant of the parent selection in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in July,2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Verbena plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since July, 2011 hasshown that the unique features of this new Verbena plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Verbena have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunmariapri’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sunmariapri’ as a new and distinct Verbenaplant:

-   -   1. Compact, semi-upright, mounding to cascading plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Apricot pink-colored flowers that gradually fade to a lighter        pink color.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the parentselection. Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of theparent selection in flower color as plants of the parent selection havelight pale pink and red purple bi-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of Verbena‘Sunmaripeach’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inHigashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Verbena differed primarilyfrom plants of ‘Sunmaripeach’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were larger than plants of        ‘Sunmaripeach’.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had shorter internodes than plants        of ‘Sunmaripeach’.    -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Verbena were ovate in shape        whereas leaves of plants of ‘Sunmaripeach’ were trullate in        shape.    -   4. Plants of the new Verbena had smaller inflorescences and        smaller flowers than plants of ‘Sunmaripeach’.    -   5. Plants of the new Verbena had shorter peduncles than plants        of ‘Sunmaripeach’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Verbena plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Verbena.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunmariapri’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Sunmariapri’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the early summer in 15-cmcontainers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and undercultural practices typical of commercial Verbena production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and nighttemperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were five months old when thephotographs were taken and four months old when the description wastaken. In the following description color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena×hybrida ‘Sunmariapri’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of a proprietary    selection of Verbena×hybrida identified as code number 1800M, not    patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 20° C. to 25°            C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at            20° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, semi-upright, mounding to            cascading growth habit; freely branching habit with numerous            lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances            lateral branch development; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 22 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 53 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 21.8 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2.4 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2.3 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.        -   Texture.—Densely pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 143A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 2.84 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.83 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely pubescent;            coarse.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,            close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 137B; venation, close to 138B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 0.8 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single salverform            flowers arranged in hemispherical terminal racemes; flowers            face mostly upright; freely flowering habit with about 24            flowers per inflorescence and about 29 inflorescences            developing per plant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants            begin flowering about four weeks after planting; long            flowering period, plants flower continuously from spring to            late autumn in Japan.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the plant;            flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 2.9 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5.9 cm.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 1.67 cm. Depth (height): About            2.64 cm. Tube length: About 1.64 cm. Tube diameter,            mid-section: About 1.4 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 9.5 mm. Diameter: About 2.2 mm.            Shape: Clavate. Color: Close to 38A.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petals.            Petal length: About 8.3 mm. Petal width: About 6.4 mm. Petal            lobe shape: Cordate. Petal lobe apex: Emarginate. Petal            margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface:            Close to 38A. Petal, when opening, lower surface: Close to            36D. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: Close to 38A to            38B, color gradually becoming closer to 36D and eventually,            close to158C with development. Petal, fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 36D. Throat: Close to between 192D and            193B. Tube: Close to 192D.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One single narrow calyx tube per flower            with five fused sepals. Sepal length: About 1.1 cm. Sepal            width: About 1 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex:            Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Sepal color, upper surface:            Close to 138A. Sepal color, lower surface: Close to 138B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.69 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to outwardly. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.            Stamen length: About 1.52 cm. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal.            Anther size: About 0.9 mm by 1.2 mm. Anther color: Close to            142B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 11D.            Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            1.81 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to            145A. Style color: Close to 145C. Ovary color: Close to            145A. Fruits and seeds: Fruit and seed development have not            been observed on plants of the new Verbena.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Verbena    plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Verbena plant named ‘Sunmariapri’as illustrated and described.